America’s Cup needs repackaging to maximise its potential

By Ashling O’Connor

Monday March 03 2003, 12.00am, The Times

By Ashling O’Connor

Monday March 03 2003, 12.00am, The Times

THE official challenge from the San Francisco Golden Gate Yacht Club for the next America’s Cup came within minutes of Alinghi’s 5-0 win over Team New Zealand yesterday. Larry Ellison and his Oracle BMW Racing team, unsuccessful this year in their attempts to regain sport’s oldest trophy on behalf of the United States, are eager to get on with the business of reshaping the America’s Cup in the mould of Formula One motor racing.

The competition, which has no governing body, only a gentleman’s agreement, has suffered in terms of exposure since it was taken to New Zealand in 1995. The time difference meant no live television coverage at reasonable times for the rest of the watching world.